lambert



QNo Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. i F. LAMBERT. METER Patented Aug. 24, P897.

xxx

524% yaw (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- F. LAMBERT.

METER Patented Aug. 24 1897.

& m w W w INVENTOH UNITED STATES PATENT O CE.

FRANK LAMBERT, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIeNoR OF ONE-HALF TO.

' JQSEPII w. KAY, on SAME PLACE.

METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,646, dated August 24, 1897.

' Application filed December 3, 1894. Serial No. 530,639. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that L'FRANK LAMBERT, of Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvementsin Meters, of which the following is aspecification.

My improvement relates to fluid-meters, and is particularly directed toward that class of meters known as nutating or oscillating disk meters. a

The special portions of the meter improvements in which are-embodied in the present invention are the disk proper or piston, its ball and ball-bearing, and the disk-angle-con- I trolling action. New means have also been provided to lessen the wear and friction due to the sliding of the disk over the partition or diaphragm-which divides the disk-chamber.

The invention further embodies improve- '20 men is in other details of construction tending to improve this type of meter and td'cheapen its manufacture.

I will describe a meter embodying my improvement'and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accom panyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a meter embodying my improvement, certain parts to which my improvement does not appertain of construction particularly adapted to .determine and control the angle of the disk. Fig. 3 is a vertical. section similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but of a modified form of meter.

3 5 Fig. 4 is a plan view of a disk orpiston embodied in the meter, part, however, being. 'broken away to show a construction designed. to reduce the wear and friction due to the sliding of the disk overthe partition ordiaphragm.

part, however, being shown in section. Fig.

6 is a central vertical section through a disk,

its bearings, and its supportihgeball and stud. Fig. 7 is a section similar to that shown in 5 Fig. 6, but of amodified form and construction. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectionof a modi fied form of disk. Figs. 9 and 10 are central vertical sections through modified forms of disks, their bearings, and supporting-balls 5c and studs. Fig. ll is a central vertical section' of a m eteigpartly in elevation, showing bein omitted. Fi 2 shows a modified form l! b Fig. 5 is an edge-view of Fig. 4,;

a pressure chamber or chambers. Fig. 12 is a central vertical section of a modified form of disk-chamber.

Similar letters of reference designate corr'e- 5 5 spending parts in all figures.

The process I preferably use in the -con-. struction of the disk forming the piston for my improved meter is by direct molding and casting, as described, for instance, inPate'nt No. 512,845,.granted to Eugene (J. Smith Janus ary 16, 1894. I This process is particularly adapted to the forming of disks having very thin faces directly by casting and which re quire little or no polishing, truing, finishing, or machine-work of 'any'k'ind to be done after the same come from the mold, except at the peripheral portion, which I prefer to grind or turn to fit the disk-chamber.

. To prevent the binding of ,the disk in its chamber in case of a slight fiction of the former, its outside diameter may be ground or finished to a curve having a radius slightly less than that of the chamber. I have found that a radius about one-tenth less than the true radius of the chamber gives a disk sufiiciently small .to prevent its binding in its chamber, but not sufficient to form a leak between the chamber-wall and the outside of the disk, but, of course, I do not limitmyself to this particular relation of the radii.

The disk A,.Fig. 1, may be cast hollow, formed in one piece with aspindle A, and provided with internal strengthening ribs or a. -A metal ball 13 may be first cast or turned and then inserted in the mold with the flat core for the interior of the disk. The disk can then be cast around the ball and the ball will be free and nicelyfitted directly by casting'with little, if any, further machining 9o operation. The disk may, however, be cast in two parts, as shown in Fig. 3. In such a case the two parts-A A of the disk may be provided with undercutlugs a a so that by placing-the two parts A A together'a few de- 5 grees from their relative positions and then turning them slightly in opposite directions the overhanging edges of :the lugs a a will slideunder each other and the two .parts A A become asfirmlylocked and rigid as if the no disk were made in a -single'piece. A small pin or screw or (see Fig. 6) may then be inserted to prevent the relative movement and I unlocking of the two parts of the disk. I do not wish to limit myself-to the use of a screw to prevent the unlocking of the parts A A, as'other methods of securing the two parts together may beemployedas, for instance, soldering or riveting.

For a meter intended to measure large deliveries and where the disk is of large diameter I prefer to cast it hollow with the faces thick near the center and tapcrin g toward the outside edge, (see Fig. 10,) so as to reduce the weight at those portions of the disk where the motion is the greatest, thereby reducing the momentum and the weight of the disk without reducing itsstren'gth. The disk may also be constructed for carrying packing material at its periphery'to contact with the inner pe ripheral surface of the chamber within which v as shown in Fig. 8.

it rocks. "Such a construction is represented in Fig.0 and here consists of a ring of pack ing, material O,clamped between the inwardlyextendiug edges a a of the two parts A A of the 'disk. The width of the packing may be the same as the width of the disk or it may extend slightly'beyond the upper and lowerripheral portion,and the surfaces of the chamher with which they come in contact.

I will now refer more particularly to the details of construction of the ball and ballbearingsembodied in the improvement.

'As shown in Fig. 5, if the disk A A is intended to be used without any internalballhearing it can be cast flat and hollow, while the central ball B can be made of a separate Iiirece and mounted upon the disk. A plain rubber ball or a rubber ball with a skeleton of metal, so as to restrict and limit the expansion and contraction of the rubber ball,

can be used and will be preferable in measuring-hot water.

In Fig. 1 the disk Ais enlarged at its mid dle portion, and this enlargement A is provid ed with a spherical cavity forming the bearing for the spherical end or ball B of a stud E, projecting upwardly through the lower portion of the meter. This stud E may be supported and means for its adjustment provided by giving it a reduced'lowerextremity or stem e, forming a shoulder e.

The main portion of the stud E fits, piston-like, 1n the opening of a tubular projection e ex;- tending downward from the meter. The lower interior portion of this tubular projection e is screw-threaded to engage with the thread upon a'stoppiece e through a central aperture of which latter extends the stem c of the stud E. The lower portion of this stem is threaded and receives a nut 6 which contacts with the lower end of the tubular portion 6 The shoulder e rests upon the stoppiece 6 andgihe stud E, and consequently the ball B may be adjusted longitudinally backward or forward by screwing this stop-piece in or out. When adjusted, the shoulder e may be forced firmly down upon the stoppiece c and the stud It held firmly in position by the nut e".

The recesses 1? F, formed in the apex por tions of the upper conical surface E and the lower conical surface E of the disk-chamber, are suitably constructed at their edges to make a close fit with the outer spherical surfaceof the lower walls of the enlarged por: tion A of the disk. These walls are carried downward below the lower surface of the disk A, but do not ineetat their lower portion, there being provided at this point an opening for the stud F. to pass through and which is sufficiently large to permit the free rocking motion of the disk.

In Fig. 3 the stud G is provided with an enlarged spherical extremity G, areduced lower extrcmity or stem g, a shoulder g, and a threaded stop-piece g enga ing with the threaded interior of a tubulari projection g, extending down ward from the meter. There is also provided a lower sleeve ll", fitted to the bore of the opening through the tubular projection 1 within which sleeve stud G is fitted.

The sleeve ll may abut against the ad justable stop-piece g-, and it is provided with a cup-shaped upper portion 72, forming a. hearing for the outer surface of the spherical wall ot the enlarged portion ll of the disk. As a result of this. construction, should there be any wear in the fit of-the ballgjdint, by turning the stop-piece g the bearing formed by the cup-shaped portion of the sleeve II, as well as the enlarged splu-iri'cal extremity or ball G of the stud G, will be adjusted at the same timetliat is, both the stud G and the sleeve II will be raised the same amount and a good fit always maintained between the ball G and the spherical cavityin the enlarged portion H of the disk, at the same time keeping the ball central with the axis of the diskchamber. The sleeve H may also be threaded to engage with the similarly-formed bore of the tubular projection g ,.whereby an independent adjustment of the .lower bearing h may be secured. The apex portion of the bottom surface of the disk-chamber is suitably formed to receive the bearing h, carried by the sleeve H. By this construction the close fitting of the lower surface of the diskchamber to form a bearin g for'the lower walls of the spherical-e111argement ll of the disk is avoided, and the machine operations may be ITO.

Fig. 10, the stud K carries a hollow spherical s ,of the. same. The inner surface of the segat the same time the construction offers good donefion smallv pieces easy to handle, while 7 and reliable means of adjustment.

. its stud, the position of the ball will change and equalize the wear;

of the ball I.

-The spherical portion G of the stud G instead of remaining stationary may-itself rotate. Such a construction is especially desirable when the flow of water or other fluids .is swift and has a tendency by striking the edge of the disk where it enters the diskchamber to push the diskagainst its ball, thus producing excessive wear in this direction. If, howeveiythe ball is revolving upon Such a construction is. shown'in Fig. 7. Y

I is-the stud which is intended to extend upwardly into the disk-chamber. I is a ball forming a support for the disk and rotatably mounted upon the stud I.

' I is a central rod extending through the stud I and abutting against the ball I at its upper extremity through an interposed collar 11, secured to the rod 1 A screw 1 closes the opening through the stud at the lower extremity of the same and forces the rod I l1p-. ward. It serves for the'vertical adjustment The collar 1' will preferably have a downwardly-extending pin z" entering a recess formed in the stud I to prevent its rotation.

Instead of forming the ball a imam a m be constructed fromhard, semihard, or soft rubber or similar material or combination of @theI-same, depending upon the sizedf the meter, the fluid to bemeasured, the. Such a construction is more particularly shown in .Figs.. 6 and 9 and consists in supplying the studs 1 -1 with some material formed to 'a forma good combination for hot r-ater, as'

wood has practically no heat expansion.

Fig. 10 represents a. compound internal bearing which can be. used as shown in the drawings or in connection with the bearing and sleeve H shown in Fig. 3. As shown in segment K, whose outer surface and inner surface 79 form bearings. The outer surface 70 forms a bearing for the inner surface of the lower side walls of the spherical cavity in the disk K K, while its inner surface lc forms a bearing for the'outer surface'of a second hollow spherical segment K carried by the rod k attached to the disk andprojecting downward into the spherical cavity ment K is itself in contact'with'a ball K se- A wooden ball I,-

.cu red to a pink projecting upward from the bottom of the spherical segment K. In this construction all the bearings and the-ball can be turned independently either of the disk or disk-chamber, and while I have in thisconstruction apparently only half ballbearings the figure shows that I have in fact a full ball-bearing formed by several halfbearings acting in opposite directions, which will be very effective if means of adjustment as. above described are used. 3 p

- By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noticed that at the top the ball G is cut away and not in contact with the bearingof the disk. The external surface of the walls of the-spherical cavity of the disk may have also sufficient bearing only at the bottom to make ajoint with the edges of the recess F, provided in the apex portion of the lower conical surface, as shown in Fig. 1. By so constructing these parts and providing holes L, communicating with a pressure-chamber L U, (see Figs. 1 and 3, )the fluid is admitted between the hearing and the surface of the ball, the pressure between the two surfaces being to a greater or less extent thereby balanced, and as a result easing the mot-ion and preventing undue 'Wear. r v a The pressure-chamber L L (see Fig. 11)

may advantageously be formed by two caps the disk-chamber. the disk-chamber L L and thclower portion L may be connected together, and they'may then be connected either with the inlet or with the outlet passage of themeter. They may, however, form independent chambers, in

which case one may be connected with the in? let andthe other with the outlet passage.

The. slot of the disk A8 A9, (see Figs. 4. and

5,) through which the diaphragm M extends, is cut wide enough to permit the insert-ion of an adjustable shoe M, and the disk is pro vided with a suitable recess to hold the same. The shoe is free to oscillate around'the center pin 'm and adjust itself to its true position of contact when the disk is pressed toward the diaphragm M. The wear on the shoe M and diaphragm M is equalized, while to quite an extent this pivotal connection will facilitate .the sliding motion of the diskon the diaphragm and prevent it from cramping. This shoe M can be made reversible on the center pin m, so as to offer two or more wearing-surfaces. This shoe may be made of rubber, hard,

scmihard, or soft, and to prevent its distortion and expansion there may be inserted in.

the rubber a small piece of metal, preferably perforated, so that the rubber by going through the perforations will adhere to the metal at the time of vulcanization. food may also-be used. Instead of putting the shoe upon the disk itmay be placed. upon the diaphragm; I

I do not wish tolimit myselfto a diaphragm made in one piece or one rigidly secured to the meter, as the diaphragm or partition may surrounding and inelosing the outer casing of The upper portion-L of l 588,64i6 V be made independent of the disk-chamber or the-different portions of the caning oi the dislc chamber may carry it part of the diaphragm, so that when the portionsof the cais'ing are put together a; complete diaphragm will be formed. This; construction will facilitate the introduction of the piston or into its chamber.

In order tic-insure a perfectalinemen't of the boll-bowing with the chamber when the meter is taken op'rirt for ro ioiring, cleaning, or other purposes and pot togetlrrer again, 1 may provide the stud cerr" the hall with a pin m, which when in mtor with n suit able recess in the chelnb icing insures the correct alinem not of the s; or Where the parts are ndjnslnlyle, as in Fig, 3, a. pin m in ny be secured to one of thopa rts--the sle'e re II, for inetnnce ond m nded into slots fornied in the cl'niniber ing and the stud G. i do not wish to limit myself to-thesepa-r tiouler registering ll- .2, however, HTS 0th ere-for e'xnmpl a set e'wumy be used.

In Fig. l. the disk is provided with a spindle A, central with respect to the spherical enlargement A of the d' l. and iiroicrebly extending at right woolen to the pin-no of the disk. It can be cost integral with the disk or indepemlcntl of it on d enliseip'i'elttiy ntinched to it. h is n lmh in shape r-i'i'senihling a frnstnin of a cone. The hub N may with advantage be carried by a. threaded sleeve. N, within which W revolves the shaft 2?. The sleeve is provided it its uppereminently with a flange '22, Winch. w r l moored N attached to the l 1g. of the is her or motor.

Instead of being nttrtchcd in the frame Iii-T" the hub maybe clinched Greatly thermper portion oi the cot' 'lhc huh I; is jnstab-le longitudinal ftlOl'ig the sleeve threads, and when so adjusted it may bl:- cured by a s passing downward through the llnng entering one of a. number of oel cos it pro vided in the upper sm't'nce of the hub.

The shaft n is providedwi'lzh an outwardly extending linger 7r its lower end, which crosses the-path of in velnent oi. the spindle A nnd'by means i i which the registering li'zecliz'nlisin of 'i'heniol'er is aictneited.

The hub N y be mode of n. 11 or hard rubber, but in order to obtnin :1 little yield.- ing of the disk intho case oi foreign matter entering the motor 1 preferably employ a hub made of semihnrd or soft lfllilbelfiilllflll can be molded upon a. sceletoin of metal. Instead of having the hull rigid it may be fitted to revolve upon its axis. In this case the hub may. be fitted to revolve open a'tnbnlor stzttionnry shaft 0 between two shoulders 0 o, with whichthe latter is provided, the inner threaded bore of the shaft 1) engaging with the si211ilnrly-tlmmded exterior of a. hollow sleeve 0', attached to Lheineter or some eppurtenalnce thereofl' This construction is clearly shown in lsig. 2.

i with the prcsmire-clmember L U.

outline in Fig. 11.

The flange 0 of the tubular she-ft O mny'engngc with. n scliow 0' similar to the screw shown in Fig. l, to lock the some in an adjust-ed position.

"While I have described a. controlling angle action of the disk by means of e spindle and fixed bearing or hub, the controlling-action may be inside the spherical cavity of the disk. In Fig. 3 P e projecting pin extending into the spherical cavity of the disk from the upper surface of the spherical enlargement ll of the some and ei'itering a circular groove 9 formed in the upper surface of the ball G or the construction may be reversed, the pin extending from the bell and ordering a. recess formed in the inner surface of the spherical car it y, without departing from the spirit of the invention. The pin P may advantageously be supplied with it friction-roller to Work in the groove. I V 1 The internal ball forv snjiiportin-g the disk I prefer to make hollow in order to solve metal. The pressure between the ball and the bell benriiig may then be balanced by admitting the fluid to the interior oi the hell he done, asshoivn in Fig. l, by drilling 2 hole l t tli'r'ough the stud 16, which opens out into the interior of the ballfend also providing ontilow'holos r a" at the top and bottom portions of the bell, opening out tl'lrougli those portions of the bell which have been cut away. The hole It through the stud communicates Tl'ierehy pressure will be transmitted from. the interior This may of. the ball outward against the hen-rings.

formed in the sphwirztl cw. ity in the disk. liolos I in ny then he done :t'mty with.

In Fig. 33 the ili-i llll'o,goi it is represented no being in one 3 "o. 'lfo incilitato the intrmjluetion of the p don and .ite supporting- "onll, the conslrncthm slnnin in Fig. may be ndo jltcd. in this figure the diaphragm S is in one piece. T is the lmttoln portion of the disk-"chain her, having on enlnrged central opening for the reception of the stud V, cnrryi 'zg the supporting-bell V. The stnd'l is provided with on upper shoulder, which is seated in it suitable recess encircling the lower opening in the dislochmnber. The (linlnetor oi the lower opening is larger than that of the main portion oi? the stud, and the letter can mmsequently be tipped to one side din-in it: insertion in order that the hell 7 may fitVUltl the diaphragm l5. rllflltll on its shoulder, the stud Vinny be held control by a. loose sleeve *0, and then secured imposition by the out o.. The latter may, however, be provided with a collar '0 to center tlie stud, in which case the sleeve '0 may-or may not be used. I

l'n ceso the diaphragm is made of on independent piece and then inserted in the diskcha-niber its placing and securing may be facilitnted by slotting the dislechember axially When fully and then introducing the diaphragm into this opening. This slot is represented in dotted llevi n described in y invention, what I consider as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a water-meter, the combination of a piston-chamber and'a hollow nutating piston, said piston being made in parts removably secured together, with means to register these parts in a true, central relative position, substantially as specified. V.

2. In a meter, the combination with a piston-chamber and a registering mechanism of a supporting-ball, and a stud or pin for carrying the ball, the supporting-ball being independent of the stud or pin, substantially as specified.

3. In ameter, the combination with a piston-chamber, a diaphragm and a supporting ball of a nutating piston having an internalball-be'aring a stud or pin for carrying the supporting-ball, the ball being mountethto freely turn upon the pin or stud and means for adjusting the ball, substantially as speciit the spindle, and means for adjusting the hub fied.

1. In a water-meter the.combination of a piston-chamber, a diaphragm, a supportingball, a nutating piston having an internal ball-bearing, a stud or pin for carrying the supporting-ball, and'which is removably secured in its bearin g, and means for registering the pin in its true relative position and preventingits rotation,substantially as specified;

In a water-meter, the combination with a piston-chamber, of a nutating piston having an internal ball-bearing, and a supporting-ball, said piston and stipporthig-ballbe.

ing hollow, substantially as specified. 6. In a water-meter, the combination with a piston-chamber of a piston having a motion of nutation and an internal ball-hearing and a 'supporting-ball which is hollow, substantially as specified.

7. In a meter, the combination with a" nutating piston made in a number of parts and having internal lugs or ribs for locking the parts together, of a-centra'l spindle and an external ball for the'piston, substantially as specified;

8. In a water-meter, the combination of a piston-chamber, a diaphragm, a nutating pis'- ton and an independent shoe carried by the piston, the shoe-being free to swing in a plane parallel to the plane of the piston, substan- -ially as specified.

9. In a water-meter, the combination bf a piston-chamber a diaphragm, a nutating piston and an independent shoe carried by the piston, the shoe'being self-adjustable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the piston, substantially as specified.v 10. In a meter, the combination with a piston-chamber, a supporting-ball, and a nutating piston having an internal ball-bearing, of

a pressure-chainbcr provided with passageways leading to the ball and ball-bearing, for relieving the pressure upon said ball and ballbearing, substantially as specified.

11. In a meter the combination with a diaphragm and registering mechanism of a nutatin g piston having an internal ball-bearing,-

an independent hemispherical or cup-shaped piece forming a bearing supplementing that of the piston proper, a stud, a supporting- .ball carried by the stud and a second hemispherical or cup-shaped piece, carried by the piston and forming a bearing or bearings,

substantially asspecified.

12. In a water-meter, the combination with a piston-chamber and a nutating piston having an internal bearing, of msupporting-ball, a stud or pin upon which the-supportingball is carried and a piece having an external spherical bearing and, a hollow stem fitting internally the. stud or pin carrying the supporting-ball, the piece fitting externally a recess central to the axis of the stud or pin, substantially as specified.

13.v In a meter, the combination with a nu tating piston, having a central spindle-of a central hub for controlling the movement of and locking the same when adjusted, sub stantially as specified.

l-l. Inawater-meter, the combination with a nutating piston having an internal ballbearing, of a supporting-ball and an anglecontrolling device formed between the supporting-ball and the internal bearing-surface of the piston, substantially as specified.

15. In a meter, the combination with a piston-chamber, of 'a nutating pistonmade, 1101* low, having lugs or ribs, the thickness-of the metal forming the faces of the piston tapering ion from the center to the outer edge of the piston, substantially as specified.

16. In a meter, the combination of a nutatingpiston having an internal ball-bearing, a

supporting-ball, a stud for carrying the ball, loosely fitted in a central hole in the lower surface of the piston-chamber and means for locking the same in a central position Q with respect to the chamber, specified. i

substantially as 17. In a meter, the combination with a pis ton-chamber, of a -nutatingpiston having an internal bearing, a supporting ball, means for adjusting the supporting-ball, and a locking device for keeping the ballin position,-

the adjusting and lockingmeans and device being independent of each other, substantially as specified.

18. In a meter, the combination with a piston-chamber, and a nutating piston having an internal ball-bearing, of a supporting-ball,

the bearing-surface between the piston and the supporting-ball being cut away in one orv more places with which the fluid of. the chamber connnunicatcs, substautiall'yas specified. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses. I

FRANK LAMBERT- Witnesses:

W. Laiuo (hmnsuolmuon, .Ios. 'W. KAY. 

